The First Valentines Day
by Duoloopo
Summary: Duo's first Valentine is a boy he meets on the streets of L2. What could this boy have to do with Duo's future. implied 1 2


DISCLAIMER - I don't own it or make any money...

A/N - JUST in time for V-day. So what if it's 11pm??

(implied) 1+2 Twist on their past... kind of a prequel to the series... ENJOY!

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The First Valentines Day

The alley behind the abandoned church was Duo's home. No one else came there except a few other kids that he would share his home with, but Duo seemed to be the only permanent resident.

It started around late November. Thanksgiving Day to be exact. While out scouring for leftovers from the feasts everyone was having, Duo noticed him. Another boy about his age, pretty enough to be a girl except for the obvious male features. The boy watched him from the window of his apartment. Duo was used to being watched and so let the boy stare while Duo dug through their garbage.

Six blocks, an equivalent to a loaf of bread, and half a turkey leg later, Duo made himself comfortable under his cardboard awning and tossed out couch bed. He hadn't gotten through half of the first piece of bread when he heard a noise. He looked up and saw a flash of a shadow pass through the alley.

Upon further investigation, Duo found two plates piled high with Thanksgiving essentials at his feet. He was sure to thank the deities that exist before carrying them back carefully to his couch and tucking in.

December had Duo shivering under the moldy cushions on the couch. His growth spurt had come that previous summer and so though none of his old coats were wasted, they didn't cover him as well as they had last winter.

The boy in the window had shown himself several more times. Duo watched as the boy walked next to an older man without holding hands. Most kids held hands with their parents, but not this kid. Duo had felt the eerie feeling of someone watching him and had spun around only to catch that same brown haired blue eyed boy watching him from around a building.

On Christmas Day, Duo had entered the church to pray to the broken stained glass Jesus alight with the grey skies and reflection of snow. Duo entered this place only when he had to. If a night got too cold or if he felt particularly desperate. Otherwise he came on Christmas and Easter. He didn't know if he really believed and it was more a tribute to the nun who had stolen his heart before the Church was destroyed by the war.

A rustle from behind him had Duo diving behind the pews. The abandoned church was scary with odd shaped podiums, statues and broken glass (another reason Duo didn't frequent the church). Gaining the courage to scope out the situation, Duo saw the tail end of the Window Boy leaving the church in a run.

New years had its adventures. Duo running from the shop where he had stolen the firecrackers, some of the shop owners' friends chasing him. Darting down alleys had them off Duo's trail. Not knowing exactly where he was, he turned into another, darker alley and was caught dead.

Only about a yard in front of him was the Window Boy. In the boys hands was a gun. The gun was pointed down directly at a bloody body on the ground. Catching the boys eyes, Duo stared at him for several moments, too terrified to move. The blue of the other boys' eyes was devastatingly deep through the wideness of his expression.

A gasp escaped Duo's throat before he could stifle it. He feared it would set the barrel of the gun on him but all it did was stir the other boy out of his guilt. The man on the ground let out his death rattle, the haunting leftovers of breath in his throat. Those blue eyes snapped to the dead man then back to Duo before disappearing behind the back of the boys body as he ran away.

Duo stared after him long after he had gone, completely mesmerized by the shattering of his cold heart by the power of the boy.

No other boy got to walk without holding his parents hands. No other boy was allowed to wander around alone. No other boy was able to catch up with Duo when he ran the alleys. No other boy was allowed to touch, no, _hold_ a gun. Never mind firing a real bullet into an adults head.

Duo found that a grin had been painted onto his face. The boy terrified him. He steered clear of the apartment the boy was first sighted in. He hardly left his couch and cardboard for anything more than gathering food. He ran from shadows, and learned to sneak around walls and streets in the dark. But still his grin remained. Duo was impressed, and never before had his life held so much vigor.

Lying on his couch in early February, Duo practiced his smile with his hands behind his head. He was able to coerce a lady into buying him some warm food with that smile. But inside Duo screamed. Frustration lined his muscles. He hadn't seen that boy since the new year. Sure he was terrified, but where was the fun in hiding if there was nothing to hide from?

Less and less boys came around for company and the last one had given Duo a taste of something new. The pain had been excruciating, but the payoff was worth it. Duo had begged forgiveness from the broken Jesus but had received nothing but a cold chill in return. He wondered if his nun would have ever forgiven him. The boy that had forged a man out of Duo was nowhere to be seen that next morning, but Duo hadn't minded. The one boy he really wanted was stained red under the white light of space.

A loud bang had Duo jumping up from his couch. His quickly learned tactics kicked in and he made a beeline for the shadows of the alley. Watching carefully, he darted past the opening to his right, into another shadow where he could peer into the adjoining alley.

He was stunned to see the Window Boy, the one boy his wretched heart had been hiding from, pointing a gun down at the boy who had taken away Duo's innocence. With a flick of his eyes, the Window Boy was staring directly at Duo.

Duo stared back.

"He won't hurt you again." The Window Boy spoke.

Duo stepped out of the shadow. "Hurt me?"

"You were screaming and… crying! He was attacking you! I saw it!" Window Boy continued. "He stabbed the other boy he attacked… and… desecrated the body."

After his eyes widened in shock, Duo smiled. "Thanks."

With a thrust of his other hand, the boy held out what seemed like a jacket. "Here."

"For me?" Duo asked

"It's the fourteenth. More commonly known as Valentines Day." The boy shoved the hand holding the jacket out farther.

"I've never had a Valentine." Duo felt compelled to say.

"Then be mine."

Duo nodded as a huge grin blossomed on his face and he reached out to grab the jacket. But when he went to pull it out of the other boys grasp, he found that the other boy wouldn't let go.

"I meant to give it to you on Christmas, but… I got scared." He blushed before forging on. "Then on New Years… well I couldn't give it to you then!"

"What about all those other times I saw you watching me?" Duo asked, still joined to the other boy by the jacket.

"I wanted it to be special."

"It is. Is it real leather?" Window boy nodded at Duo's question. "I'll keep it forever." Duo watched in amazement as the boys face brightened into a smile.

"I've been busy so I decided that Valentines Day would be perfect."

"I love Valentines Day!" Duo laughed and the other boy let go of the jacket. "Do you want to hang out sometime?"

"I can't." Window Boy frowned. "I leave today."

"Why?" Duo was frantic to find a reason to keep the boy on L2 with him.

"Training. My ship departs at four." As if to rub it in, the boys pants beeped and he pulled out a computer device. "I have to go."

"Can I come with you?" Duo blurted out before thinking.

Window Boy winked. "I don't know. _Can_ you?"

Duo grinned at the challenge. "I'll be there."

"See you then." Window Boy turned to leave but Duo grabbed him first. He pulled the other boy close for a quick and chaste kiss before pushing the boy away and running back to his couch without a look back.

A quick sweep of the church and Duo was ready to board. He knew he would have to sneak aboard the four o'clock ship. He would have to run to make it to the port on time.

Leaving everything behind, Duo ran towards the port. He passed his familiar haunts and silently big them goodbye. The Window Boy was the only other person to care for him since he had lived in the church. Also, the Window Boy was the only other person he had cared for since he had given his heart to the nun.

He hoped against hope that whether or not he kept with the Window Boy, this would be the beginning to a new life for him.

Sneaking easily through the fence and reading the flight lists, he made his way towards a ship labeled 'SWEEPERS.' Ducking on board, Duo couldn't wait to see his Window Boy again.

That was, until he was caught and held in a room and a man in a lab coat had told him to use the name 'God of Death' from that moment on.


End file.
